The purpose of this study is to investigate the strategies and approaches utilized by single, black mothers who are family heads, in the preparation of their daughters to function in a socially competent manner. The relationships between the patterns of child rearing and utilization of available community participation patterns and critical life choices will be explored through the use of ecological methodology. The subject pool will be comprised of 160 mothers and their daughters between the ages of 16-17, for whom they have been the sole parent during their significant developmental years. In a similar study involving black males, trends point to different strategies utilized with girls. Current literature contains scanty information about the development and socialization of the female and even less for the black female child. At the same time reports show that the number of fatherless families are increasing while the opportunities for the occupancy of households by step fathers are decreasing. This study is significant in that it can contribute to fulfilling the information void related to female children and also provide the basis for the development of methods that could impact successfully on a serious social problem.